Loading syringe for use with radioactive solutions and other non-sterile solutions

ABSTRACT

A loading syringe for use with radioactive solutions. A hollow syringe body is opened at its upper end and has a hypodermic needle at its lower end. A loading pouch is formed in the wall of the syringe body out of the path of travel of a plunger. The filling pouch is integral with the syringe body and opened to the interior thereof. With the plunger in place at the top of the body, radioactive solution is delivered to the interior of the body via the filling pouch. The solution is then injected into a radioactive material generator by way of the hypodermic needle.

June 4, 1974 United States Patent 11 1 Czaplinski [5 LOADING SYRINGE FOR USE WITH 3.156532 ll/l964 RADIOACTIVE SOLUTIONS AND OTHER 1 121 2/1968 NON-STERILE SOLUTIONS 4/ [75] Inventor: Thomas V. Czaplinski, North Brunswick, NJ.

Primary Examiner-Harold A. Dixon Attorney, Agent, or FirmLawrence S. Levinson; Merle J. Smith; John J. Archer [73] Assignee: E. R. Squibb & Sons, Inc.,

Princeton, NJ.

[57] ABSTRACT A loading syringe for use with radioactive solutions. A

221 Filed: om. 24, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 300,093

hollow syringe body is opened at its upper end and has a hypodermic needle at its lower end. A loading pouch is formed in the wall of the syringe body out of the path of travel of a plunger. The filling pouch is integral with the syringe body and opened to the interior thereof. With the plunger in place at the top of the body, radioactive solution is delivered to the interior of the body via the filling pouch. The solution is then injected into a radioactive material generator by way of the hypodermic needle.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1896 128/218 G 1923 Schwidctzky 128/218 G 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures LOADING SYRINGE FOR USE WITH RADIOACTIVE SOLUTIONS AND OTHER NON-STERILE SOLUTIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a loading syringe for use with radioactive solutions.

In the radiopharmaceutical area, workers are constantly dealing with hot solutions which must be injected into radioactive material generators such as that shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,369,12l. The hot solutions are often handled in a lead cave by means of mechanical arms. The manipulation of these arms can be a difficult and time-consuming task, and it is desirable to keep their movements as simple as possible.

Previously, when it has been desired to load a syringe with radioactive solution, the plunger of the syringe was removed, the solution poured into the syringe body and the plunger replaced, all of these movements being accomplished by means of mechanical arms. In this system there was excessive handling of the syringe parts which often lead to spilling or, at the least, a great deal of wasted time.

The present invention contemplates a manner of loading syringes wherein handling is reduced to a minimum. The syringe embodied in the present invention permits the filling of the syringe body while the plunger is received in that body in a fully raised position. There is no longer any need to remove and then replace the plunger, thus eliminating difficult manipulations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a loading syringe which permits the loading of a radioactive solution with minimum mechanical handling.

lt is another object of the present invention to provide a loading syringe which permits the loading of a radioactive solution in a safe and efficient manner.

In accordance with the above designs the loading syringe contemplated by the present invention includes an elongated hollow body. One end of the body is open for the reception of a plunger, and the other end has a hypodermic needle attached thereto. Intermediate the respective ends of the hollowbody is a filling pouch which is formed integrally with the walls of the body. The filling pouch is formed as a curved lip which extends outwardly from the body at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis thereof, and as such is located out of the path of movement of the plunger. There is an opening in the wall of the body adjacent the lip which permits the reception therethrough of the radioactive solution. Upon loading. the hypodermic needle is inserted into a radioactive material generator and the plunger pushed toward the hypodermic needle forcing the radioactive solution therethrough and into the generator.

The above and other objects of the present invention will be apparent as the description continues and when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view ofthe loading syringe embodying the principles of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is an isolation perspective view of the loading pouch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates the loading syringe 10 in conjunction with a radioactive material generator 12. The generator 12 is conventional in all respects and is similar to that shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,369,121. Briefly, the generator 12 comprises a column 14 sealably enclosed by stoppers l6, l8. Granulated radioactive alumina is contained within column 14 and eluent is filtered therethrough. The resultant solution is drained off by means of hypodermic needle 22.

It has not been uncommon to utilize a syringe to load the eluent into a generator. However, it is necessary to handle the various parts by means of mechanical arms inside a lead cave. Accordingly, the present invention provides a loading pouch 30, which is integral with the generally cylindrical hollow body 32. As shown in FIG. 2, the loading pouch 30 is basically a scoop, or spoon which extends from the syringe body 32 at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis thereof. Depending on the size of the loading pouch 30 there will be a hole or slot 34 in syringe body 32 adjacent the loading pouch 30.

The syringe 10 includes a plunger 36 which has a conventional rubber stopper 38 which is close-fittedly received interiorly in syringe l0 and is contiguous the interior walls thereof. A hypodermic needle 40 is connected to the bottom of syringe l0 and adapted to puncture closure 16. The entire structure thus far described may be mounted in a stand fabricated from a suitable plastic or like transparent material.

The above described apparatus is loaded in lead cave with the plunger 36 in a fully raised position. The eluent is then poured into the loading pouch from where it passes into the syringe 10 via hole 34. The plunger can then be pushed downward, passing hole 34 and forcing the eluent through needle 40 into generator 14.

l. A loading syringe which comprises a hollow syringe body, a needle attached to one end of said body, said needle adapted to pass fluid therethrough from said body, a plunger closely received in an opening at the other end of said body, said plunger being movable through the full length of said body and adapted to force said fluid through said needle, and a filling pouch integrally formed inthe wall of said body out of the path of travel of said plunger, said filling pouch being a scoop-like generally rounded lip extending at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said body, said angle being acute with respect to the plunger end of said body, there being an opening in said body adjacent said lip opened to the interior of said body and adapted to pass fluid therewithin when said plunger is in a fully raised position. 

1. A loading syringe which comprises a hollow syringe body, a needle attached to one end of said body, said needle adapted to pass fluid therethrough from said body, a plunger closely received in an opening at the other end of said body, said plunger being movable through the full length of said body and adapted to force said fluid through said needle, and a filling pouch integrally formed in the wall of said body out of the path of travel of said plunger, said filling pouch being a scoop-like generally rounded lip extending at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said body, said angle being acute with respect to the plunger end of said body, there being an opening in said body adjacent said lip opened to the interior of said body and adapted to pass fluid therewithin when said plunger is in a fully raised position. 